ADELAIDE faces the toughest draw in 2016, based on the simple formula of tallying the number of wins its opponents next year managed in 2015.

At the other end of the scale, Geelong and Essendon hit the jackpot with seemingly easier draws.

Adelaide's 2016 opponents won 251 games combined in 2015, with Geelong and Essendon's opponents next season winning a total of 232 and 229 games respectively in 2015.

North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Richmond and West Coast all have tough draws too based on this formula, but their road to the finals is similar to Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood, who both missed finals in 2015.

Because the Crows won their first final in 2015, they jumped into the top six, meaning they were drawn to play top-six teams three times in 2016.

The Crows therefore play West Coast, Fremantle and North Melbourne twice in 2016 as well as return bouts against the reasonably performed Collingwood and Port Adelaide.

By contrast Geelong only plays one team from the top six next season – Adelaide – twice, as well as return fixtures against the Western Bulldogs, Greater Western Sydney, Essendon and the Brisbane Lions.

After finishing 15th in 2015, Essendon is the only team that does not play a top-six team from 2015 twice next season.

TEAMS

COMBINED WINS IN 2015*

Adelaide

251

North Melbourne

247

Hawthorn

246

GWS

244

Collingwood

241

Richmond

240

West Coast

239

Brisbane Lions

238

Sydney Swans

238

Western Bulldogs

238

Fremantle

236

Gold Coast

236

Melbourne

236

Carlton

233

Port Adelaide

233

St Kilda

233

Geelong

232

Essendon

229

*Combined wins in 2015 of each club's 2016 opponents.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs